Together and Surprise!
It's been two years since Julian finished his high school. Now he attended a famous university on London. He didn't have time to go home at all, even on holiday. There were tons of home works he had to do. Famous Five couldn't meet him too. His siblings, Dick and Anne, and their cousin, George, wanted to come over his place but his mother forbid them to do so. The reason was they would bother Julian there and he couldn't concentrate on getting his grades faster.
That was why the remaining Famous Five jumped in happiness when they got Julian's letter saying that he would come over to Kirrin Farm on summer. Dick, who actually had a plan to spend summer with his new university friend, decided to cancel it and went right to Kirrin Farm. Anne and George were already there two days before him and they were very eager to see him. Julian's letter told them that he would come a week after their first holiday and it meant it would be tomorrow!
Now Dick, Anne, George and her dog, Timmy, stood on Kirrin Station, waiting for the train from London arrived. They impatiently waiting for him to come, making everyone who passed through them looking at them with a weird look. The old porter grinned at them and shook his head. He knew of the news and couldn't help but amuse at their expression. The clock clicked to ten o'clock and at the same time, the train they are waiting, came.
Passengers went down from the train, hugged everyone they knew. Greetings, cries, and screams could be heard loudly. Famous Five scanned the areas, trying to catch their handsome sibling face. Anne was the first one who found Julian. She squealed in happiness then ran towards a tall young man who appeared suddenly. Her siblings quickly ran behind her.
Julian grinned when he saw his little sister ran to him. He didn't surprise when Anne attacked him by hugging him so tight then shed a bit tears. His blue eyes found his other siblings ran behind them. Dick and George grinned at him. He made a high five with his brother then ruffled George's hair, making her pouted at him, even though there was a small smile on her face.
Anne couldn't stop smiling widely at her bother, "I miss you so much, Ju!! Two long years I haven't seen you a bit!"
"Yeah, Ju. Even I come home for awhile. What did you do in your university, huh?"
"Have you forgotten about us already?"
Julian was just laughing at his siblings' antics. How he missed them so much! Those two long years sure changed them all. Ann was taler and slimmer than the last time he saw her. She also grew her hair and now it looks more beautiful that way. Dick has gained muscle. He told him once that he joined karate on his university. Good Old George didn't change at all. Still trying to look like a boy, even though her figure contradicted her definitely. How surprised he was to see tomboy George had grown to be a good looking woman. Ah, if only her manners changed as well, it would be more interesting and surprising.
"Julian, can you help me?"
A voice stopped their little reunion. Julian stepped aside, revealing an unknown girl stood there. "My goodness, I almost forgot about you, El."
"How surprising." The girl looked at Famous Five and offered them her best smile. She had a long blonde semi wavy hair with green eyes. Her head was covered by a big sun hat. She wore a long sleeves shirt and a pair of jeans. Julian smiled to her, taking her luggage then led her to his sibling, "They are my siblings I've told you before. This is Anne, my little sister." He indicated Anne who smiled in confuse, "Dick, my brother." Dick nodded hesitantly to the girl, "And this is Georgina, but she prefers to be called George. She won't answer if you call her Georgina." George didn't do anything, she just stared at the new girl.
"Everyone, this is Elizabeth Constantine Leopold. She's…." They held a breath, waiting for Julian to continue his introduction. He smiled assuredly to the hesitant girl, "…my girlfriend."
Everyone was shocked to hear this. No one could say anything. George stared at the girl again, and this time she inspected her close, while Elizabeth looked nervous because of that. She could feel her presence here was not wanted. Many times before the holiday, she tried to convince Julian to go by his own, but he insisted that he wanted to introduce her to his family. His parents had known of their relationship before and Julian made them promise not to tell his siblings. He wanted to be the one who told the news.
"Well, not actually a girlfriend anymore." Julian continued, "I've told mother and father then went to her parents before we came here. She's my fiancée now."
"F-Ff… Fian…"
Julian nodded, "Yeah. So…?" He arched an eyebrow, trying to get some comments from his siblings. However, all they did was staring at the new girl.
It was Elizabeth who broke the silence. "Ju, we're in the middle of public place. Can't we stop this conversation until we got into your aunt's house?"
"What!?" George exclaimed suddenly, "She's staying at my house too??"
"Well, yes of course. Where do you think she's supposed to stay?"
"B-but… But I thought she…!"
Dick pinched her side, hoping to stop her from saying something rude about his brother's unbelievable fiancée. "Come on! She's right! Aunt Fanny will be worried if we didn't go home right now. Where's your baggage, Ju? I'll help you." He tried to change the topic, which gladly Julian took.
"They're here. Thanks, Dick!"
George went to help them too. Anne and Elizabeth trying to help them but politely declined by Julian. He made a stern look to make them understood he really meant it. So the remaining girls watched as the others took the baggage to the cartwheel. Anne glanced to her brother's fiancée who looked guilty.
"Umm… Like what Ju told you, I'm Anne. Nice to meet you." She offered her hand to a shake, which earned a surprise look from the older girl.
Elizabeth didn't expect that to coming but she accepted the hand, "I'm Elizabeth. Please call me Liz or Lizzie, like Ju used to call me. Nice to meet you too, Anne."
"Lizzie, come on! Are you going to root there? Anne, you too!" Julian came to retrieve his fiancée then turned to his sister. "Come on, come on. I'm really hungry and I really miss Aunt Fanny's cook."
"You didn't eat much this semester, Ju. You look thinner." Said Elizabeth, concerned about her fiancée's health. "You shouldn't take too much course. Lots of them are too heavy for you."
Julian groaned at hearing this, "Lizzie, you've been telling me that all the time! I know, I know it's very stupid of me. Now, would you mind stop embarrassing me in front of my sister and accompany me to the cart?"
"No, I won't mind." Elizabeth smiled, taking his arms then went with him to the cart with Anne behind them. The youngest one couldn't help but feeling jealous at Elizabeth. She got all the attention that used to be hers and her siblings. Her presence here made Anne realized that Julian, sooner or later, would leave them. That meant there were no adventures for them anymore. No thrilling experiences, no examining new things. None of them.
-o0o-
Aunt Fanny was surprised to see that the friends Julian had been told her was a girl. She expected a boy, perhaps Julian's best friend, but instead it was a girl and she was moreover Julian's fiancée! But as she inspected the girl, she looked like she was a nice girl. Julian seemed not to tell her where they went before, looking from her confusion.
"Julian, I thought your friend would be a boy. I didn't prepare room for her." The kind woman said as she glanced to the new girl, "I don't think George will be fine to let her stay on her room. Learning from Beth's experience…" She said in low voice.
"Umm... Excuse me." Elizabeth interrupted their conversation, "If it's not troubling you, I would be glad if you can find me a hotel. I'll stay there for a night then go back on the next day."
Julian startled at hearing that, "W-what?? No, no, no. You promised to come here, Lizzie, don't you forget that. I ask you here to introduce you to my siblings!"
"W-well… You haven't met them for two years, they sure very anxious to see you, Ju. I've told you I shouldn't have come. Your… siblings seemed to have a hard time to receive our relation. I think it's better for me to go back."
The oldest and wisest boy on the family quickly shook his head. He grabbed her shoulder then kissed her forehead, "Nonsense of that, you hear me? Liz, you always like this. They will like you for sure! Don't worry. You remember your promise, right? What did you say?"
"…To go with you in our next holiday…"
"That means you have to stay here!! Don't worry about George, she will understand! She always be like that!! When she has to know you like me, I'm pretty sure she will like you too. Who doesn't like you, Liz?" Julian turned to his aunt, "Aunt Fanny, Lizzie can stay here, right?"
Aunt Fanny sighed as she put her hand under her chin, "Well, we have an empty room in upstairs, but I don't think it's wise to let her stay alone there. After all, it's too small than the others. Let me think…" Her sentence was cut by her husband running to the kitchen.
"Fanny!! Fanny!!!!!"
"Oh my, Quentin, what is it? You don't have to scream my name like that."
Uncle Quentin looked very happy and he held something on his hand. His grey eyes sparkled with happiness, "My journal in ScienceProject has been nominated on their annual nominations!! They invited me to America to present this!! It's unbelievable!!"
"That's wonderful, Quentin!! But…"Aunt Fanny looked at the teenagers' direction, "I don't think I can accompany you. The kids are here… Why don't we ask them first?"
"Oh, alright then." Then Uncle Quentin realized Elizabeth's presence on the room. He inspected her in one glance, "Who is this?"
Julian was the one who answered, "Oh right, you two haven't met each other. Uncle, this is my fiancée, Elizabeth Constantine Leopold. Lizzie, this is my uncle, Quentin. She will stay here with me, Uncle, I hope you don't mind."
"Leopold? Is your father Sir Jonathan T. Leopold?"
Elizabeth looked surprise, "Yes, he is. Do you know my father?"
"Know your father?! I'm his best friends for life!! We've been in school together and I lost contact with him since last year when he goes to America. How's he been?"
"He is fine, but still obsessed with his experiments. I'm sorry but he rarely talks to me about his works and his friends. It's nice to know Ju's uncle is my father's friend."
Julian put a hand on her shoulder, "I should've known your father is my uncle's friend. I mean, look at them! They're all the same!" When he saw the questioning look on his aunt's face, he sighed, "When I came to her house, well… to propose her, her father was there. Do you know the first time he saw us, Aunt Fanny? He said that I'm good enough to be his daughter's bodyguard and when he looked at Lizzie, he was surprised to see her. It was as if he never met her for many years that he forgot how she had grown up."
"Father rarely meets me. He always so busy with his work and I stay in dormitory for college. I only come back once a month."
"Oh, poor you, my dear. I always make sure Quentin has some times with George even though he only ruins it up. Don't worry, Elizabeth, Julian won't leave you alone sometimes later. I think we should call the others about this problem. Ju, can you fetch your siblings?"
Julian nodded, "Sure, Aunt Fanny!" He turned to Elizabeth who nodded and smiled then walked out from the kitchen to find his siblings.
"He is a nice boy, isn't he?" Asked Aunt Fanny.
Elizabeth was surprised that she would talk to her, "Ah, yes. He helped me lots in university. Everyone loves him. I just… sometimes I didn't believe myself that he loves me back. There are other girls who love him and obviously prettier than I am, but Ju chose me and I'm happy for that."
"I'm sure Ju doesn't look only on the appearance. I think you're a nice girl and I know Ju would think the same. I'm glad that Julian introduces you to me and to know that you are his fiancée, I think I can trust him to you, Elizabeth."
The blonde haired girl flushed from what the older woman had said. She then smiled, "I don't know what to say…. But Mrs. Fanny, you can call me Lizzie or Beth. Elizabeth sounds formal to me."
"Only if you call me Aunt Fanny, just like the others."
"I'd loved to, Aunt Fanny."
She was surprised as the kind woman drew her into an embrace. "Welcome to the family, Lizzie. I hope we can talk much later."
"What is it, mother? You never call us…" George came into the kitchen and stopped when she saw the new girl. Her confused face changed into frowned face as she walked inside. She was about to say something to Elizabeth when her cousins came after her.
Aunt Fanny smiled, "Sit down please, everyone." When everyone had done what she ordered, Julian stood, let his fiancée sat on the last remaining chair. He smiled down to her and his hands rested on her shoulder, as they listened to what Aunt Fanny said.
"George, your father is invited to America. He is nominated on a science annual and he wanted me to come with him. I, too, believe I have to go with him, you all know how he would live alone. But Julian has just come and he brings his fiancée. It's impolite for me to just go away. What do you think?"
Julian smiled to his aunt, "Oh Aunt Fanny, you don't have to think about me. I'm fine if you choose to go with Uncle Quentin. After all, he needs you more than I do. Joanna is still here and she will help us with cleaning. About Lizzie, I'm sure she won't mind with us only. Right, Liz?" He smiled down to his fiancée who smiled back and nodded.
"It's okay, Aunt Fanny. I'm sure annual announcement won't take long time. Ju and I will still be here until the end of the month. You don't have to worry about us."
"Well… If that's what you said… Joanna can provide you food, so I have nothing to worry about it. I think we will go for one or two weeks, depend on your uncle. George, Dick, Anne, I'm sure you can behave while we're gone. I trust Ju and Lizzie to be in control."
"What?!? Mother, I'm okay with Ju, but why should her?!" George stood in anger and her finger pointed to the surprised Elizabeth. "She's no one! Just because she's someone whom Ju introduced us as his fiancée, doesn't mean that you can trust us on her!"
"GEORGE!"
This was few moments when his siblings could see how scary Julian was when he was very angry. They could count it on their fingers those times. Julian glared his stubborn cousin who glared him back. "What's the problem with you!? I know you're never polite, but I never know you will be this impolite!"
"Ju, stop it."
"You want to know what the problem is, Ju?! She is the problem! What are you thinking you're doing, huh!? Do you think we can accept her so easily like this?! You never send or tell us anything and when you came, you bring your fiancée with you!!"
"You..!!"
"Julian, stop that now!" When Julian didn't response to her call, Elizabeth stood and grabbed his elbow. "Julian Foster!!"
With her calling his full name and in surprisingly loud voice, Julian at last turned his head to his fiancée. He looked annoyed, "What is it, Liz?"
"Sit down." She grabbed his hand and pulled him down. Then she turned to his family, "If me being here is bothering all of you, then just let me stay here for a night. Tomorrow I will go back to London. Is that okay with you, George?"
The curly haired girl refused to say anything and turned her head. Elizabeth smiled softly to see that, "Then it's settled. I will leave tomorrow and you can have your holiday alone with Julian."
"Liz~!"
"From the beginning, I've told you, Ju, you don't have to bring me here. You haven't met your siblings for… about two years. They wanted to spend their time with you, but you just come here and bring me, your fiancée, then pushed them to accept me. If I were your sibling, I would do the same like George."
Aunt Fanny decided to stop this argument before it getting heat up. She stepped between those lovers, "No one leaves this house until I said so. Lizzie, you don't have to mind what George said. She always dislikes every new people she met. Julian has asked me to let you stay here before and I let him. You will still stay here until the end of the month."
"But Aunt Fanny~" Elizabeth suddenly stopped and let out a deep sigh, "Well, what can I do? Obviously you and Ju won't let me get out from this house. But still I…"
"George, if you said that again to Lizzie, I will personally punish you. Do you understand?" Her mother spoke in stern voice, making George could only nod. She didn't want to spend her holiday in punishment. "Good. We will go this evening to London, to buy a ticket to Washington."
-o0o-
"Where's Ju?" Dick stepped inside the dining room, only to find his brother missing. "I thought I heard his voice from here."
The only person in the dining room was George and her face was very sour. "In kitchen, maybe. I don't know. Why would you ask?"
Before Dick could reply her question, they heard a door slammed shut and a loud shriek voice. "So-Sorry!!! I didn't know!!!!" He frowned to know that it was Anne's. The door to dining room opened and Anne stepped inside with a red face.
"What is it, Anne?"
"Uh-well… I saw Joanna outside and she said that Lizzie asked her to let her cook the meal tonight so she went outside. I thought perhaps she needs help so I went to the kitchen and offered help, but…" Anne's voice was decreasing and they couldn't hear the last part of her sentence.
"Anne, I can't hear you."
Her red face, if it possible, was redder than before. "I.. I saw them… kissing…." She whispered, but in a volume her siblings could hear.
"WHAT?!?!!?" Shouted George in shock.
Dick grinned, "Never know Julian… Oh whatever, it's not my problem… And you just slam the door shut, Anne?"
"W-well.. What can I do? I mean… I was very shock to see Ju kissed a girl… Somehow, it told me that one day Ju will go away and live on his own. Then we won't have time together like this again. Where we would go somewhere and involved ourselves in adventures."
George crossed her arms on her chest, "Hmph, I think that too when I saw that girl. It's not like I hate her, but… her presence here means that Ju won't be with us sooner."
"Oh George, I never know you would jealous over Lizzie."
The tomboy girl turned her head and saw the grinning Julian on the doorway. "J-Ju…?! I, what are you… how…!"
"Liz kicked me out. She said I won't let her concentrate on her cooking." Julian sat next to his brother, "Do you really hate her, George?"
The curly haired girl, for the first time on long years, flushed at her cousin's remark. "I- well.. I mean…" She glanced up, only to see the grinning face of her blonde haired cousin, "Fine! I admit it! I'm jealous of her, okay?! Happy??"
"More than happy!" He smirked, "So… what do you think of her?"
"She seems nice to me." Answered Anne, "How did you meet her, Ju?"
"She's on my History class."
Three of them waiting for Julian to continue his storytale, but he kept smilling for no reason. After a good of silence, George got annoyed and glared her cousin. "Are you going to tell us or not, Ju??"
"Hm? Tell you what?"
"Ju!!"
Julian laughed at his siblings' antics and anxiousness. "All right, all right! I'll tell you."
Happy reading!
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